Sunday, April 23, 2006

See Ya, Borders

My retail life is coming to an end. I have put in my two week notice at Borders. I thought about working through May, but I don't want to. I am lucky to have a sugar daddy named Tim so that I can quit this job. I still have my preschool job and my kindergarten job on the horizon. Because I like lists, I will list what I got out of my stint at Borders...

1. Lots of free music. With my love of the semi-obscure music scene, I was able to obtain several promo CDs. I will listen to almost anything. I came home with everything from the soundtrack to Brokeback Mountain to Genesis Ultimate Platinum Collection. All together, I think I acquired over 15 CDs. On one day alone, I came home with six CDs.

2. An appreciation for all things retail. I was never a rude person before I worked at Borders, but now, I understand the plight of the retail worker. Just believe me when I tell you this...they are doing their best. They want you to be happy. I am sorry that I cannot read the customer's mind or have every single movie ever flimed on hand. I understand that retail workers are people too. They always appreciate a kind gesture rather than a huff and a puff, "FINE!" if they can't find the item you are looking for.

3. A few chums. Although I would catagorize most of my collegues at Borders as near-to-insane, I will catagorize a select few as clever, insightful, and creative. I like to hang out with just those types of people.

4. A good discount. I will miss the 33% off music and books, but I will have my Borders Rewards coupons which are almost just as good. By the way, if you haven't joined and you frequent Borders, you should get a free Borders Rewards card. I did get quite good at pimping the Borders Rewards when I was behind the register.

5. Jeans with faded knees. I never knew this would happen to me. All of my jeans have faded knees because I am always bending down to shelve a DVD, find a book, or search underneath CD racks for some obscure Rod Stewart CD that a customer might just die without. This is a good excuse to go shopping for new jeans.

6. A minor in psychology. Like earlier stated, most of the people that I worked with at Borders suffer from some sort of personality disorder. I was able to observe and diagnosis a narcassitic disorder. Not one, but several people suffered from this disorder with no hope on the horizon for recovery. That might sound harsh, but I can assure you, completely true.

7. An all together better sense of what is out there in books, music, and movies. I loved shelving because I was able to see the new things that came into the store. I was able to check out the back of movies and books and add them to my mental list of things that I want to experience.

Thanks Borders.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Great list, Sara. You failed to mention, however, Borders newest lesson to you--headset etiquette. I would rank this as a most important life skill...wouldn't you?

Eyes for Lies said...

Sounds like you had quite a learning experience at Borders!

That reminds me of a job I once did. As a corporate multimedia developer, and a consultant, a large fast food company once sent me out to their premiere stores to learn how things were done -- so I could create a training manual to dissemenate nationallly.

In the process of observing, I finally offered to help the crew. They were the hardest working people I had seen in a long, long time. These men WORKED 10 to 12 hours a day -- physically hard. One man peeled 50 pounds of carrots in like 20 minutes. I managed to only peel a fraction of what he did. I was inept!!

These guys also had burn scars all over their arms. They didn't get breaks, worked like dogs and only made minimum wage. They worked a week in one day compared to what I did.

It forever changed my impression of the fast food workers... (not BK or MCD). This was a chicken place.

shelly said...

you have once again inspired me to write a list-post. life lessons as a thirty-something barista...
thanks.

patrick | steed said...

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Don't leave borders!!!!!!!!!!! AAAGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!